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(No Model.)

R.H.1SBBLL.4 RAILROAD SWITCH. N0. 291,908. Patented Jan. 15, 1884.A

'Ntra raras arena* @erica ROBERT H. ISBELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

RAlLRGAD-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 291,908, dated January 15, 1384,

Application iled February H, ISFB. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT II. IsBELL, of the city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in' Railroad- Switches, and in the method oi' shifting and locking the same.

My invention relates to that class of railroad-switches in whichv a cam is used to move the switch; and the invention consists in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and operation of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be more easily and clearly understood and more readily performed, I will give a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, similar letters indicating similar parts, making a part of this specification, in 'which- Figure l is a view of said switch, looking from above. Fig. 2 is a side view. Fie. 3 is a vertical sectional view of switch through the lines c c. under side of the plates C and l). Fig. 5 is a view of the shaft, showing the cam thereon. Fig. 6 is a side view of the plate G and its connections.

A A represent the fixed rails, and B B the movable, rails of said switch, which are connected together by the rods cf g, and also at their points by the plate C, (as shown in Fi 0. 3,) having below it a series of depending lugs or projections Z Z 2,(see Figs. 3 and 4,) which form grooves, in which works a peculiarlyformed cani, hereinafter described, the plate C being raised at b, as shown in Figs. l and 3, to make room for the working o't said cam. On the under side of the plate C is formed a downwardly and outwardly projecting arm, m, which works in a guide, m', in one of the bearing-blocks h, as shown in. Fig. 3. This plate C is also guided in its lateral movement by means of the screw k on the under side of the plate C, working in aslot, j, in the plate D. D represents a plate, to which the fixed rails ,A are secured,and having bearing-blocks Zt ZL, 111 which the shaft a is journaled, which shaft carries a collar, J, securely keyed thereto, on which is formed a peculiarly-shaped cani-rib, Z, (clearly shown in Fig. 5,) which cam works Fig. 4. is a View showing the.

in the grooves formed bythe projections i 'ii on the plate C. The shaft a projects at one side beyond the rails, and has secured thereto the arm I, which is connected to the handlever II by the link or rod F. At E is another link, one end of which is also secured to the arm I, and its other end is pivoted to the arm d, which is made i'ast to a short rockshai't n, carrying another arm, o, whose other arm is connected to the bar G, which bar is carried by links p p, pivoted .in hangers iixed below the rails A. )Vhcn it is desired to change the switch,the operator moves the lever H, and thus (through. the link F and arm I) moves the shaft a and cam. J, thus causing the diagonal. portion ofthe rib Z to move the plate C, and thus cha-nge the position of the switchrails. After the diagonal or inclined part of 7o the rib has moved theswitch-rails, the straight portion thereof', next to the diagonal part, en` ters the groove between t" and Z2, and the returned end Z comes into play, passing on the outside oi' the projection i or '172, as the case may be, and thus holding the switch-rails fast in the desired position. rIhese ends Z' are very important because, owing to the necessity of the groove between the projections i andi2 being wider than the rib, to allow of the diagonal part of the rib passing through the groove, there will necessarily be some lost motion77 between the projections and the straight portion of the cani-rib; but by the use of the returned ends Z the projections i and can be closely embraced on each side, and the switch securely locked in place thereby. For the usual operation of the switch the projection i is not actually necessary; butin case the central of the three projections should 9 accidentally become broken, the third projection would then come into play and assist in locking the switch in position, as both the end Z and the opposite straightportions of the canrrib would then be between the jections.

The plate G- is placed close to the inner side of either ofthe rails, and may be extended to any desired length. .As the movement of the lever which opens or closes the switch also 10o moves the said plate, and as the movement oi' said plate is upward as well as backward or forward, the wheel-lian ges will, while the train is passing over said plate G, prevent the upouter pro- 95 Sai Ward movement of the sanie, and thus securely lock the switch until the train passes beyond Said plate,\vl1ich does not occur until after the last car ofthe train has entered the switch. This is a safeguard against the switch-tenders changing the switch until the entire train has passed it.

'The lever E 1nay,if desircd,be placed on the inner side of the :ra-ils, and there :fastened to a projection on the shaft c, and also either directlyto the said plate (l or to an arm thereon similar to those above described.

I consider the use and combination tothe plate G above described to be advantageous, but it is not necessary to the operating ol' my said invention i'or shifting switches and locking or unlockingv the saine.

I ain aware that it is not new to use a cani to move a switch, and I am also aware that bars or plates have been used which would prevent the moving oi' the switch when the weight of thc ears were on said bars or plates, and I therefore make no claim,broadl y, to either of those features.

That I claim as new is- 1. The combination, in aswitch, of the movable sWitoh-rails and the plate C, provided With projections t" i2, with the rocking cam-rib Z, having a return end, Z, adapted to hold a projection on said plate between the rib Z and its return end Z, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in aswitch, of the rails B l2, plate D, connected with the fixed rails, and carrying the bearing-block 71 the plate C, connected with the movable rails, the shaft a, carrying a cam Working in a groove formed in said plate C, and means for rocking saidshaft and cam, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with thc shaft a, and means, substantially;T as described, for moving the switch-rails, of the plate G, supported .on the links p p, the arm o, connected to said plate, the rock-slfla't 11, link E, and arm I, attached to the shaft a, as and for the purposes set forth.

ROBERT II. ISBELL.

Witnesses: .f

Trios. ALEXANDER, Jr Jim'ns A. l-vraimen. 

